Food Fun with Rowan

Since returning home from our great train adventure across the country, Rowan has started eating solids. It truly is amazing how scared I was before he started, and how much fun it is now! All I could think of was how hard I must now try to give him wonderful nutrition, set healthy eating habits, and what if he chokes! Silly ole me didn't think too much about how its just slowly introducing it, and he still nurses all day long, but what can I say, I can't help myself!

We started off with a small hand crank food mill, but I quickly realized that it wasn't going to be creating the smooth, liquidy texture that I was seeking, so we went out and got a Kitchen Aid food processor that I'm in love with. I just wish I could find more reasons to use it! But I'm sure I will.

His first meal was sweet potato's. He was super excited that he got to eat, but wasn't quite too sure about it. He had those for a couple of days before we moved on to carrots. He is definitely getting the hang of this whole eating thing, and today we went and got him a high chair, and that seemed to seal the deal. He ate all of his carrots - excluding what was on his face, hands, shirt, etc. - and seemed rather excited/proud of himself! He sat at the table with us while we were eating dinner, and it really was quite a good time. We are going to be adding banana to his list of foods next, and after that some pureed brown rice.

It is funny to me how I get all worked up about things before we start them, but once we get to them and do it, it really isn't all I was making it out to be. I guess since he is our first, it is to be expected, and should only get better down the road, and maybe, just maybe, I will convince myself with Rowan that I don't need to worry necessarily, but just have fun. I hope I can do it, because so far so good, and he is a healthy, happy little man!

Michigan Trip

So a lot of Sean's family lives in Michigan (his mom, dad, and sister). His other sister, Bridget, lives in New York. None of them except his mom (who came out for Rowan's birth, and during June) had met him before last week. It was quite the adventure. We took the train from Eugene, up to Seattle. Then from Seattle to Chicago. That was a 2 day ride right there. I have never been east of Oregon except the one time I went to visit Renee in Boston, and that was by plane, so it was a great way to see the country! I had never seen country so flat, and so much corn in my whole life! We got to ride along side the Mississippi River for a while, and all in all it was great. Rowan loved all of the people on the train, and going to meals in the dining car was always a hit with him.
We arrived in Michigan on the 3rd day of traveling. We took a train from Chicago to Battle Creek Michigan, and were supposed to take a bus from Battle Creek to Lansing, but due to Rowans amazing skills at making new friends, we got a ride from a wonderful woman and her daughter. Her daughter was getting ready to head off to college and they spend the weekend in Chicago together. It was really rather wonderful, instead of waiting for an hour at the bus station (at 11 pm no less) and then an hour bus ride, we got a ride right away! It was great. Sean's cousin Jess came and picked us up at the train station where we were dropped off, and took us to his aunts house. She is a wonderful lady, and I was very glad to meet her! We got up the next day and headed up north to his moms house.
We rented a car and were off! It was pretty exciting to finally be arriving, and was great to see everyone. The week went by too fast, filled with lots of Rowans cousins (7 kids ranging from 3 to 13), lots of swimming (Rowan loves to swim!) and great times with Sean's family. His sister Rory takes amazing pictures, and took some great family photos for us. All in all it was a wonderful time, and so much to tell but I'm still rather tired, and over all just glad to be home. That is one thing about traveling - it is lots of fun, but always great to get home!